Thread by @MarteauTM

1/ New Paper bit.ly/3M2gZNv @bmj_latest showing overlooked potential of “Availability Interventions” to cut consumption of energy-dense foods, meat and alcohol, for leaner greener diets @OHID @OHA @Alc-UK @CCC_UK @WWF @BIT @NESTA @GJHollands @J_P_Reynolds @LEAP_Oxford

2/ Suboptimal diets are one of the largest contributors to premature death and preventable diseases worldwide, contributing also to health inequalities and environmental harm.

3/ Interventions that alter the assortment of available food or drink – “Availability Interventions” - show consistent and often large effects on selection and consumption with no evidence of adverse effects, particularly on inequalities.

4/ Two types of Availability Interventions: Relative Availability = no. options unchanged; proportions of subsets changed; Absolute Availability = no. options changed; proportions of subsets unchanged. Most evidence on Relative Availability. bit.ly/3O9jCim

5/ Example 1 Increasing Availability of lower energy food in 19 cafeterias from 42% to 50% reduced calories per transaction by 4.8% (from 384 to 366 kcal) bit.ly/38CTSL1

6/ Example 2Increasing Availability of vegetarian meals in a cafeteria from 25% to 50% decreased selection of meat meals by eight percentage points – from 81% to 73% bit.ly/3JF0hSM

7/ Example 3Decreasing Availability of alcoholic drinks from 75% to 50% and 25% increased the proportion of non-alcoholic beers, wines and soft drinks selected from 24% to 32% and 45% respectively bit.ly/3rl9CJa

8/ But too few examples of Availability Interventions in policy. eg Scotland – retail outlets in healthcare buildings must ensure 50% food & 70% drinks are not HFSS bit.ly/3xnvtU3 Portugal – cafeterias in public sector have to offer ≥1 veg dish bit.ly/3uGiPO8

9/9 “Availability Interventions” - currently overlooked by policymakers - merit serious consideration to shift currently unhealthy & unsustainable consumption of energy-dense foods, meat & alcohol towards #LevellingUp and #NetZero2050 goals.